Guerrero hits sixth postseason homer and Blue Jays beat Mariners 6-2 to pressure Sport 7 of ALCS

[ad_1] TORONTO — Look dad, Sport 7!

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his sixth dwelling run this postseason, rookie Trey Yesavage struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings and the Toronto Blue Jays pushed the American League Championship Collection to the restrict by beating the sloppy Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Sunday night time.

The AL pennant can be determined Monday night time in Toronto, the second Sport 7 in Blue Jays historical past. Toronto misplaced to Kansas Metropolis within the 1985 ALCS.

“Received to take pleasure in it, man. That is what we join,” Blue Jays supervisor John Schneider stated. “It’s particular and distinctive, however you need to take a look at it as a recreation.”

For one well-known baseball household, it should even be a primary. Guerrero’s father, Corridor of Fame outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, by no means performed in a postseason Sport 7 throughout his 16-year profession.

“My dad was telling me, Sport 7 is give all of it you have got,” the Toronto slugger stated.

Seattle, the one huge league group with out a pennant, will play a Sport 7 for the primary time. The winner faces the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers within the World Collection starting Friday.

“Win or go dwelling,” Mariners middle fielder Julio Rodríguez stated. “We’re going to put every little thing on the market.”

Addison Barger homered and drove in three early runs for the Blue Jays, who turned three double performs behind Yesavage — two of them to flee bases-loaded jams.

That made Toronto the primary group to induce consecutive bases-loaded, inning-ending double performs in a postseason recreation, and solely the fourth group to show two in a single postseason recreation.

“I knew my protection had my again,” Yesavage stated.

Toronto additionally took benefit of Seattle’s season-high three errors. By comparability, the Blue Jays have made 4 errors in 10 playoff video games.

“Balls simply type of out and in of the glove there that put a pair further guys on base,” Mariners supervisor Dan Wilson stated. “Sadly, it led to a few runs.”

Guerrero’s sixth profession postseason homer — all this yr — tied him with José Bautista and Joe Carter for essentially the most in Blue Jays historical past.

“That is what you search for from one of many elite gamers within the recreation,” Schneider stated.

Bautista threw out the ceremonial first pitch earlier than the sport.

Toronto had misplaced its earlier 4 video games when dealing with postseason elimination. That streak stretched to Sport 5 of the 2016 ALCS in opposition to Cleveland and included wild-card spherical losses to Tampa Bay in 2020, Seattle in 2022 and Minnesota in 2023.

Guerrero’s leadoff homer within the fifth made it 5-0 and chased Mariners starter Logan Gilbert. The precise-hander allowed 4 earned runs and 7 hits in four-plus innings.

“I assumed he had a very good fastball, particularly early,” Wilson stated. “His break up was good at instances. It is a powerful lineup they usually did what they needed to do to get the ball in play.”

Yesavage took a shutout into the sixth. He was charged with two runs and 6 hits, 5 of them singles. 5 of his strikeouts got here on his split-finger fastball, as did each double-play grounders with the bases loaded.

“I simply believed in myself. I do know my stuff performs at this stage,” Yesavage stated. “I do know the protection behind me goes to play at the very best of their talents, and getting three double performs in back-to-back-to-back innings was enormous.”

The 22-year-old Yesavage threw a season-high 31 splitters. He acquired 10 whiffs on splitters and 5 extra on sliders.

“He brings the power,” Guerrero stated. “He’s younger. He desires to win so unhealthy.”

Three of Yesavage’s six main league begins have come within the playoffs. He’s received twice this postseason after profitable one among three outings throughout the common season.

Louis Varland acquired 4 outs and Jeff Hoffman struck out 4 over two hitless innings to finish it.

The Mariners used two walks and a single to load the bases in opposition to Yesavage within the third however have been denied when slugger Cal Raleigh grounded right into a 3-6-1 double play began by Guerrero and accomplished by Yesavage protecting first base. Raleigh’s first-pitch grounder got here off his bat at 101 mph.

“Underappreciated, I feel, is how Vlad can play actually deep due to his arm,” Schneider stated. “In that state of affairs, too, you want some wiggle room for a man that hits the ball actually arduous.”

Raleigh completed 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.

Seattle got here up empty once more after one other bases-loaded alternative within the fourth when J.P. Crawford grounded right into a 4-6-3 double play.

The Mariners broke by way of and chased Yesavage within the sixth. Josh Naylor’s solo shot was his third dwelling run of the playoffs. Yesavage exited after Randy Arozarena’s base hit, and Eugenio Suárez greeted Varland with a bloop RBI single.

Toronto took benefit of fielding errors by Rodríguez in middle subject and Suárez at third base to attain twice within the second, when Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa had RBI singles.

Ernie Clement hit a two-out triple off the left-field wall within the third and scored when Barger homered, his second of the postseason.

George Springer began at designated hitter for the Blue Jays and went 0 for 4 with a stroll. Springer exited within the seventh inning of Friday’s Sport 5 loss in Seattle after he was hit on the proper kneecap by a 95.6 mph pitch from Bryan Woo.

Guerrero was hit by a pitch from Seattle reliever Matt Brash within the seventh. Guerrero moved to second on Alejandro Kirk’s single and was advancing on a wild pitch when he scored on Raleigh’s throwing error.

Up subsequent Toronto is predicted to start out RHP Shane Bieber on Monday night time. Bieber allowed two runs and 4 hits over six innings in Sport 3, a 13-4 win for the Blue Jays. He struck out eight and walked one as he bounced again from a poor outing in opposition to the Yankees within the Division Collection.